BMW Sued by U.S. Diesel Drivers Over Emissions-Test Cheating

[ProudLib72]

Link: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-03-27/bmw-sued-for-installing-defeat-devices-in-u-s-diesel-cars

BMW AG joined the growing list of carmakers sued by U.S. drivers for installing software designed to cheat diesel-emissions tests.

Drivers of “tens of thousands” of X5 and 335D model diesel cars built between 2009 and 2011 sued BMW and its technology supplier, Robert Bosch GmbH, alleging they installed algorithms designed to manipulate testing systems, using methods similar to those admitted to by Volkswagen AG. They claim those vehicles are polluting at up to 27 times the legal limit, according to the complaint filed Tuesday in New Jersey federal court.

“At these levels, these cars aren’t just dirty -- they don’t meet standards to be legally driven on U.S. streets and no one would have bought these cars if BMW had told the truth,” said Steve Berman, the plaintiffs’ attorney who has filed similar claims against Ford Motor Co., Mercedes-Benz, Fiat Chrysler Automobile NV, General Motors Co. and Volkswagen.

The German automaker largely escaped the scrutiny that has plagued the industry since VW admitted to rigging 11 million vehicles, ultimately being hit with $25 billion in fines and penalties. Then, in February, BMW said it mistakenly put the wrong software in almost 12,000 diesel vehicles. Last week, prosecutors raided the automaker’s Munich headquarters and its engine plant in Steyr, Austria, to look into 7-Series and 5-Series sedans.

Here we go again! And the orange turd wants to turn back diesel emission standards. Maybe they can just hold off a little while longer on those lawsuits?

[Marie Marie]

1. Well see, if we didn't have all these regulations,

they wouldn't have to cheat.

[ProudLib72]

2. Exactly! And everyone is doing it anyway, so why not just deregulate?

[DFW]

3. Interesting that BMW took until now to find their "error."

Bosch may be complicit, but they wouldn't have installed the software without BMW having at least "suggested" it, and I say this as one who has been driving that brand for 30 years (though never diesel).

Diesel was already bad news do to its spreading of fine particles that lungs absorb so easily.

[ProudLib72]

4. Did you read the whole article? There is this interesting paragraph

Bosch is the common thread linking the accused carmakers to the so-called defeat devices. BMW, Daimler AG and VW, along with its Audi and Porsche brands, are accused of colluding with Bosch for nearly two decades to limit technological advances in their vehicles while stifling competition.

There is that word again "colluding". Follow the logical path. BMW and Audi/VW are competing car companies who, at around the same time, started installing cheat software. This suggests one thing: someone at Bosch was selling them on the idea.

[DFW]

5. Not surprising

No, I didn't have time to read the whole article. I had to be out of the house at 6 again this morning.

But everything is so close by here, every one of these companies can be at the HQ of each other in a few hours or less. No paper or electronic trails necessary. It can all be done by word of mouth in a country this densely populated.